May day: Can Theresa May troubleshoot Britain? The challenges ahead

The coronation

May, who will be Britain's second prime minister, was automatically ushered into the top spot on Monday when her rival Andrea Leadsom stood down from the leadership contest on Monday.

Prime Minister David Cameron has already confirmed to the press that May will take up residence at 10 Downing Street on Wednesday.

Also read - Battle of the Tory ladies: Britain set for its second female PM

For Theresa May, it will be the most exciting day of her life. But it's probably also going to be the most frightening. Here are just a few of the challenges May faces:

1. Choosing a Cabinet

May's tenure will be dominated by Brexit and she knows it is what she will be judged upon. This is why her Cabinet appointments are so important, especially the four main roles - Chancellor, Foreign Secretary, Home Secretary and the person who will head up the Brexit negotiations and new trade talks.

Favourites for the key role of chancellor include Philip Hammond, currently foreign secretary, and Chris Grayling, the Brexit-supporting leader of the House of Commons, who has run May's campaign, says the Guardian.

George Osborne has indicated that he would stay on in a senior role if asked, with some expecting that he could become the new foreign secretary. There were also rumours that Andrew Leadsom will get a position.

Most likely, May will chose a mixture of pro-Remain and pro-Brexit MPs in a bid to unify the Conservative Party.

2. Dealing with the lack of a mandate

May's second challenge will be in handling opposition parties' mounting calls for an early general election. It isn't due until 2020, but a snap election can be called if two-thirds of MPs vote for one.

Jeremy Corbyn has already demanded an early election. However, with Labour in deep disarray and facing an ugly leadership contest of its own, calls by Labour for a snap poll strike has been called akin to "a turkey asking for an early Christmas" by Tony Newton Dunn, a political editor with the Sun.

May has already said she doesn't believe the country needs to be hurled into more nationwide balloting, which would prolong uncertainty about the country's future direction. Uncertainty has already left stock markets roiling and has plunged the pound to its lowest value against the dollar in 35 years.

An election could also bring out internal Conservative divisions over what relationship Britain should have with the European Union, say analysts.

3. Uniting the Conservative party

"May will start her premiership facing a deep and dangerous split in the Conservative Party," James Kirkup, a political commentator, told Voice of America. One of her biggest challenges, he argues, will be "how to deal with the significant number of Conservative MPs and Conservative members who actually wanted Leadsom to become PM or who at least wanted a proper contest to decide who got to be leader.

He adds: "The real risk for May is that some of Leadsom's backers believe that they have been cheated, their candidate unfairly shunted out of the race by political opponents and a hostile media."

4. Implementing Brexit

May has appealed to people not to consider her as a "remainer" after she campaigned to keep Britain in the EU, saying that she is "very clear that Brexit means Brexit".

May has already ruled out triggering Article 50 - which would start the UK's two-year exit process - until next year. She's also already rejected calls for a second referendum.

But so far, Brussels says it won't talk until Article 50 is triggered.

And to make Brexit a reality, May will have to attend a European Council meeting with other EU leaders in order to clarify Britain's position and the exit process. The UK will need to move as fast as possible to get its negotiating team together and to decide what exit terms and trade deal it wants. That's because Brussels shuts down in August, but in September 27 EU states will meet without Britain in Bratislava to discuss the future.

In October, Britain will attend a meeting of all 28 states. By then, the government needs to be ready.

5. EU nationals and immigration

May will continue to push to reduce immigration - something that she has long struggled to do as home secretary.

"When immigration is too high, when the pace of change is too fast, it's impossible to build a cohesive society," she said in one 2015 speech. "It's difficult for schools and hospitals and core infrastructure like housing and transport to cope."

Also read - Brexit resignation: why British PM David Cameron had to go

This is despite the fact that the data shows that immigrants haven't stressed the UK economy and in fact have contributed to its growth.

Most infamously, May used her power as home secretary to impose a rule that would block skilled immigrants from permanently settling in the UK if they made less than £37,000 a year. Anyone who made less than that would be deported. May's own home office estimated that the rule could cost the British economy more than $200 million, but she went through with it anyway.

An early test will be the question of what happens to the three million EU nationals living and working in Britain. May first said that she couldn't guarantee them a permanent place and, although she would like them to stay, their status would be subject to the withdrawal negotiations.

6. Striking new balances at home

On a domestic level in the long term, May has pledged to work towards a creating a country that works for all its citizens "not just the privileged few". She said: "Under my leadership, the Conservative Party will put itself - completely, absolutely, unequivocally - at the service of working people.

"It is why we will make Britain a country that works for everyone."

To do she must firstly unite a party and a country still reeling from the 52%-48% Brexit vote that has divided families, age groups and communities.

May has promised to change the way that big businesses are governed with plans to put worker representatives on all main company boards and tighten control on executive pay.

May is also an avowed feminist: she led a fight to close the UK's gender wage gap in 2008 and frequently confronts sexist comments about her fondness for stylish shoes. But on the other hand, May's tenure at home minister was not exactly pleasant for members of the LGBTQ community and she twice voted against legalising adoption by gay couples in the early 2000s.

After being one of the longest serving home secretaries in history, it is also widely understood that "crime and punishment" will be at the top of her agenda as prime minister.

She has also outlined her priorities by highlighting lower life expectancy for those born poor, the criminal justice system's treatment of black people and fewer educational opportunities for white working-class boys.

----------------------------

Here's May message to the masses about what needs to be done: "First, the need for strong, proven leadership to steer us through what will be difficult and uncertain economic and political times, the need, of course, to negotiate the best deal for Britain in leaving the EU, and to forge a new role for ourselves in the world.

"Second, we are going to unite our country and, third, we need a strong, new positive vision for the future of our country, a vision of a country that works not for the privileged few, but that works for every one of us."

More in Catch -Andrea Leadsom quits Conservative leadership race. Will Theresa May now become Britian's new Prime Minister?

Britain votes to leave the EU, Cameron quits - here's what happens next